Kastelen Cycle Route

The east of Ghent is dotted with beautiful castles. Today, we cycle past a selection of these imposing witnesses of the past. This route takes us along shady tree-lined lanes, castle parks, charming villages and loads of greenery.

Our cycling adventure begins in Destelbergen, where we immediately find ourselves amidst the greenery. There is a wealth of castles scattered throughout this lovely landscape. Most of them were built in the 19th century as weekend homes for the Ghent bourgeoisie.

It doesn't take long before we encounter the first ones. We glide past Van Acker Castle and then along the striking ochre-coloured Crabbelaer Castle. Immediately after that, we head quite a way back in time. After a few kilometres, we pass the Gallische Hoeve. This open-air museum is a historically accurate reconstruction of a settlement from the Late Iron Age and early Gallo-Roman period.

After this brief bit of time travel, we head leisurely towards Rozelaar Castle. This attractive neoclassical castle with its white-plastered facades can be admired from our route. The building, the surrounding park and a handful of outbuildings are protected listed monuments. Its two gatehouse towers are original remnants of the demolished medieval moated castle, which was later rebuilt.

Beervelde Castle Park is the next highlight on our fine cycling adventure. This huge estate and park has been owned by a noble family since the late 18th century and is definitely worth a visit. Walkers can register and then visit from dawn to sunset. A visit to the castle park instantly becomes more colourful in the spring and autumn, when you can enjoy lush floral exhibits here.

We've already had the chance to admire a handful of castles along the route, but the surroundings in which they are located are also a real treat. We can delight in the greenery from a cycle path winding among the open fields. Between fields and meadows, we cheerfully cycle towards Kalkense Meersen Nature Reserve. Here we have the choice. Do we immediately continue the route? Or do we take a little detour into this unique marshland area in a bend of the Scheldt River? The streams, canals, cycle and walking paths wind picturesquely through the nature preserve. We take a quick look and then return to the marked path.

We now continue on towards Laarne, where we encounter yet another highlight: Laarne Castle. This is one of the best-preserved fortified moated castles in Flanders. The castle's 14th-century structure is impressive and there is also a lot to see inside. We stop for a quick visit. Inside the castle, we admire the collections of Brussels tapestries, 16th-century furniture and a beautiful silver collection.

After this castle visit, we head back out on familiar territory: wonderfully quiet roads surrounded by forests. We set course towards the Scheldt River, which majestically traverses the landscape here. Following the flat tow-path, we get better acquainted with this river, which sets us on our way for the last few kilometres of this journey.

We effortlessly pedal along the smooth asphalt of the Scheldt dike, where the vast greenery of the Gentbrugse Meersen emerges across the water. This is an open area of around 270 hectares, with pristine nature, walking paths and various recreational options. Highly recommended for the whole family.

We end this cycle tour back at the Damslootmeer in Destelbergen and dismount our bikes, tired but satisfied. Now what? We decide to cycle a few more kilometres to vibrant, bustling Ghent. It's a city with an abundance of historical heritage. The excellent food and drink options are an added bonus. Our day is far from over.

Download the free GPX file at https://www.visitflanders.com/en/flandersfinestcycleroutes